The latest from Welcome Tours

Have you paid much attention to the Wellington waterfront lately? I mean, really taken a good look at what's there? Sure, it's a great place for a stroll on a gorgeous day - picturesque with a buzz of activity. But if you start peeking in the nooks and crannies and paying attention to the information around you, you'll be treated to a wealth of art and culture. And it couldn't be easier, with a number of helpful guides that make this discovery a breeze. ​

Let's start with the Wellington Writer's Walk. Sculptural quotations dotted around the waterfront pay tribute to Wellington in the words of New Zealand poets, novelists and playwrights.

​Admittedly not all of them are my cup of tea, but I love that the words of many of our country's best writers have been captured and presented back to us playfully in our landscape. They are a great point of interest. ​

​Be prepared to hunt for some of the harder-to-find ones. In fact, here's a challenge! Stand at Bruce Mason's quote on the West side of Te Papa and give yourself ten seconds to locate Te Ariki Campbell's writing (pictured).

​One sculpture of note is the Kupe statue which depicts the arrival of Maori in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It was originally on show at the grand Centennial Exhibition in Wellington (1939/40) and has resided at the Wellington Railway Station, the Wellington Showgrounds and Te Papa. Now cast in bronze, the statue seems at home on the waterfront, standing proud in front of Te Wharewaka o Poneke function centre.

Of the 13 sculptures on the trail, my personal favourite is Nga Kina by Michel Tuffery. It reminds me of summer holidays. At present Nga Kina is backed by a building site, but it's still worth a visit.

​And call me unobservant but I only recently noticed the large Paul Dibble sculpture Fruits of the Garden that sits high in Frank Kitts park. This is best viewed from the park, but can be seen from the waterfront walk as well. ​

​When you stop and look around, you realise that the waterfront is packed with history. To help identify its heritage gems, I recommend you keep an eye out for the stand-alone heritage information panels on the waterfront or check out the Maritime Heritage Trail online.

One of my top picks on the heritage trail is the memorial to Paddy the Wanderer on the end of the Wharf Offices. Paddy, an Airedale Terrier, was well-known and popular on the Wellington waterfront in the 1930's. His plaque is thoughtfully accompanied by doggy drinking bowls.

The information panels on the side of Shed 6 teach us about buildings of note in the vicinity. We can see how the variety of architecture tells its own story about the evolution and use of the waterfront.​​The photo of Paddy (left) is courtesy of Wellington Museum

Finally, I recommend you head to the Wellington Museum (pictured), housed in the gorgeous 1892 Bond Store building. This treasure of a museum is too often overlooked by locals, yet It brings our history to life and has some excellent exhibitions (try the time machine on the top floor).

There are wonderful discoveries to be made in familiar places - all you need is a little curiosity.

If you would like to join a small group, ​Sue is hosting a guided tour of Wellington Waterfront on Thursday 22 March.